Iran's Ambassador to Turkmenistan called for the development of Tehran-Ashgabat cultural diplomacy to expand the ties between the two countries.

Mohammad Ahmadi made the statement in a meeting with the Vice President of Culture and Media Affairs of Turkmenistan Bahargul Abdiyeva, IRNA reported.

He said, "Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow emphasized on the development of cultural relations between the two countries" in many meetings and accordingly an agreement on cultural exchange between the two countries was signed during Iran's President Hassan Rouhani's visit to Turkmenistan.

The appointment of Reza Khanian as Iran's cultural attaché in Turkmenistan has been made to activate the capacity of cultural relations between the two countries.

Ahmadi stated, "We are ready, as in the past, to pave the ground for cultural activities and agreements including holding of cultural weeks of both countries."

Following the meeting, Khanian highlighted, "We are ready to work harder on the cultural relations of the two countries on the basis of the cultural exchange program. Accordingly, in the course of the past two months, we have arranged the participation of a group of 23 artists from Turkmenistan at the celebration of Persian New Year in Kish."

Since 2019 has been declared as the year 'Turkmenistan — the Home of Prosperity' in the country, Iran will cooperate in organizing joint cultural programs, Khanian said.

Abdiyeva said, "It is very important that cultural relations between the two countries expand further since the Turkmen president stresses that one cannot talk about the development of a country without culture."

She noted, "Through cultural relations and with the help of films, cinema and music, it is possible to understand the customs of the two countries.

"Cultural relations are very important for Turkmenistan. On this basis, we are ready to work on the proposals that were put forward, especially in the exchange of art and music groups and the holding of Turkmen-Iranian cultural weeks."